Box.



L. J. MERRIGAN. BOX.

. APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1909. 93 3,259. Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

lawn/7k 7/?372 LOUIS J. MERRIGAN, 0F MASON, WISCONSIN.

7 BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. '7, 1909.

Application filed May 11, 1909. Serial No. 495,237.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs J. MERRIGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mason, in the county of Bayfield and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Box, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object .of the present invention to provide an improved construction of display box and the invention relates more particularly to that class of display boxes comprising a body and a lid for the body larly in Fig. 1 thereo which is formed in two sections hinged together, one of the sections being rigidly secured to the body of the box and the other section being capable of being swung down upon the hinges therefor whereby to permit of access being had to the interior of the box.

It is one aim of the invention to provide a novel means for securing the lid of such a box in position upon the bodythereof in such manner that it may be removed. Furthermore it is the aim of the invention to provide a box lid and means for attaching the same removably to an ordinary cracker box whereby the said box may be converted into a display box of the class above re ferred to.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1' is a front elevation of a display box constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view from front to rear showing the manner of securing the fixed sectionof the box lid upon the body thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view showing the lid securing means in top plan, and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a slight modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawings the sides of the body of the box are indicated by the numeral 5 and the lid for the box is illustrated as comprised of a lower section 6 and an upper sectlon 7, the lower section being removably but rigidly secured in position against the edges of the side walls 5 of the box as will be readily understood, and being connected with the sections 7 through the medium of suitable spring hinges 8 which serve normally to hold the section 7 in upright or closed position to permit of its being swung downwardly for the purpose of gaining access to the interior of the box. A lid constructed as shown in the drawings and more particuis comprised of a wooden frame and a paneof glass held in the frame and exposing to 'view the contents of the box and it has heretofore been found impractical to properly remove and secure such a lid upon the ordinary cracker box whereby to convert the same into a display box. It is consequently the object of the present invention, as heretofore stated, to provide means whereby the lid may be so held upon the ordinary form of cracker or cake box and such means will now be described.

The holding means above referred to comprises a pair of jaws which are indicated by the numeral. 9 and each of which is formed,

at its upper and lower edges, with inturned Wings 10 through which wings is passed a pivot pin 11 serving to pivotally connect the jaws 9 whereby they may have relative rocking movement upon the pivot. The wings 10 at one side beyond the pivot 11, are toothed as indicated by the numeral 12 and inasmuch as the edges of the wings of the two jaws are opposed the teeth 12 of the two jaws will cooperate and these teeth are designed to dig into the side faces of the side walls of the box as will be presently explained. The portions of the jaws 9 to the other side of the pivot 11 constitute finger pieces which may be pressed together whereby to spread the first mentioned or toothed ends of the jaws as will be readily understood. 4

Upon the pivot pin 11 for the jaws 9 of the fastening device, there is disposed a coiled spring 13 which is confined between the wings 10 of the jaws 9 and has one terminal bearing against the finger piece of one jaw and the other terminal against the finger piece of the other jaw whereby the jaws will be normally held with their toothed ends in contact or engagement and this spring 13 is sufficiently strong to force the said ends of the jaws together to such degree as to fir-mg grip the edge of a box wall and render di cult the removal of the fastening device from the walls without pressing together the finger pieces of the jaws.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the pivot pin 11 is formed at its upper and lower ends with inwardly directed spurs 14 and in applying the fastening device to the box lid and walls of the box body, these spurs are forced into the material of the lid as will now be explained. As heretofore stated, the lid sections are comprised of frames in which are 1 mounted panes of glass and the ends of the frame comprising part of the fixed section 6 are formed with slots 15 which, when the said section is properly disposed against an ordinary cracker box, register with the forward edges of the side or end walls 5 thereof as is clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Prior to such disposal of the lid section against the box, one of the securing devices above described is inserted through each slot 15, toothed end first, and the finger pieces 10 are pressed together whereby to spread the toothed ends of the jaws of the device and permit of engagement of the same with the forward edge of the corresponding side walls 5 of the box. After such engagement,

. the'finger pieces are relieved of pressure and the spring 13 then acts to firmly cause the toothed ends of the 'aws to firmly grip the 'said edges of the si e walls of the body of the box. In inserting the securing devices in the slots as above stated, the ends of the spurs 14 at the extremities of the pivot pins 11 will come in contact with the outer faces of the sides of the frame portion of the lower section 6 of the lid and are pressed or driven into the material of the said sides of the section until the pin proper comes into contact with the said forward faces of the side portions of the lid section, such engagement serving to firmly hold the lid section against the forward edges of the side walls 5 of the box body as will be readily understood.

Under some conditions, the spur ends 14 of the pivot may be omitted and the securing devices so inserted through the slots 15 as to bring the end portions of the pivot into engagement with the said front faces of the side portions of the lid section 6 and such construction is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

It will be readily understood from the foregoing that by employing the securing device embodying the present invention, box display lids such as shown in front elevation in Fig. 1 of the drawings, may be read.

ily applied to the ordinary cracker and cake box and removed therefrom when the box becomes empty and that consequently it is not necessary to transfer the crackers or cakes from the cake box to a box upon which such a lid is permanently secured, as is now the case.

What is claimed is l. The combination with a box and a lid for the box, said lid being formed with openings, of means engaged through the openings and with the edges of the Walls of the box for holding the lid thereon, said means comprising jaws for gripping the side walls of the box, and means upon the jaws engaging the outer face of the lid whereby to hold the same in position against the edges of the said walls.

2. The combination with a box and a lid for the box, said lid being formed with openings, of means engaged through the openings and with the edges of the walls of the box for holding the lid thereon, said means comprising jaws for gripping the walls of the box, and a pivot for the jaws engaging the outer face of the lid whereby to hold the same in position against the edges of the said walls.

3. The combination with a box, and a lid for the box, said lid being formed with openings, of means engaged through the openings and with the edges of the walls of the box for holding the lid thereon, said means comprising toothed jaws for gripping the walls of the box, and a pivot for the jaws engaging the outer face of the lid whereby to hold the same in position against the edges of the said walls.

4:. The combination with a box and a lid for the box, said lid being formed with openings, of means engaged through the openings and with the ed es of the walls of the box for holding the lid thereon, said means comprising jaws for gripping the walls of the box at the edges thereof, and a pivot for the jaws engaging the outer face of the lid whereby to hold the same in position against the edges of the said walls, the said pivot projecting at its ends beyond the said jaws and formed at its said end with spurs biting into the said outer face of the lid.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS J. MERRIGAN. lVitnesses RICHARD BERGDAHL, A. J. AXNESS. 

